VIDEO – TAKING A WRONG TURN – Feb. 29. 2024 – Tianeptine doesn’t actually contain heroin, and is often sold as a dietary supplement in gas stations, convenience stores, smoke shops and online. It can produce an opioid-like high, and has been linked to overdoses and some deaths. Ohio man Chris Haggarty died in November 2023 at the age of 37. Toxicology results led to an official finding that he died from the toxic effects of tianeptine and other significant conditions. His mother Karen Haggarty said her son bought a bottle containing tianeptine at a gas station. “I miss…
Author: Leonard Buschel
AND CANCER TOO? – Feb. 24, 2024 – For daily cannabis users, for example, odds of a heart attack were 25% higher compared to non-users and 42% higher for stroke. For now, the study “adds to the growing literature that cannabis use and cardiovascular disease may be a potentially hazardous combination,” Robert L. Page… “The perceptions of the harmfulness of smoking cannabis are decreasing, and people have not considered cannabis use dangerous to their health. However, previous research suggested that cannabis could be associated with cardiovascular disease. In addition, smoking cannabis — the predominant method of use — may…
VIDEO – ALWAYS ON – Feb. 23, 2024 – Nicole, Cathy, and Jennifer all have different backgrounds. Something the three share is knowing the pain addiction can cause. “Sometimes I felt like I was the only person on the planet that had this going on,” Cathy said. “There’s so many things that go on with drug addiction. The taboo name, you know, the stigma,” she added. It’s called EverSoDope, recovery, raunchy, raw, and real. Some of the content you’ll hear on EverSoDope covers things we can’t tell you on TV. “Can we say that?” the women all said, laughing.…
VIDEO – EVEN IN ARIZONA – Feb. 28, 2024 – “It’s so scary, like we’re actually carrying triage kits. I mean, it sounds crazy, but we’re trying to carry some bandages we’re carrying gauze tape. If you could see the wounds, I can actually send you some pictures of wounds that are happening. They’re massive. They’re deep. They’re expansive,” said Bevell. Bevell, who runs outreach to homeless across the Valley, said that users will not go to the hospital since they are afraid their belongings will be stolen on the streets, leading to a vicious cycle of addiction through self-medication.…
“I love being famous. It validates that I have something to say.” – Richard Lewis, Jun. 29, 1947 – Feb. 27, 2024
FAIRY TALE GONE WRONG – Feb. 21, 2024 – The former talk show host’s loved ones spoke to People ahead of the Feb. 24 premiere of the two-night Lifetime special “Where Is Wendy Williams?” The project was produced by Williams, 54. “The people who love her cannot see her,” her sister, Wanda, told People. “I think the big [question] is: How the hell did we get here?” Williams, who is still in said facility, can contact her family but they cannot reach out to her. They tell People they don’t know where she is. Multiple sources told the magazine…
A FAMILY AFFAIR – Feb. 23, 2024 – John Phillips had a complicated relationship with his five children as he struggled with drug addiction throughout his life. The Mamas & the Papas singer was a father to Jeffery and Mackenzie Philips and later welcomed daughter Chynna Phillips with his bandmate, Michelle Phillips. John also married Geneviève Waïte and had son Tamerlane and daughter Bijou Phillips. John died on March 18, 2001, at 65 years old. Eight years later, Mackenzie wrote a memoir that exposed her decade-long incestuous relationship with her father, which led to splintering within the siblings’ relationships.…
CINEMA MATTERS – Feb. 22, 2024 – The new film, Ordinary Angels, based on the memoir of the same name by Sharon Stevens Evans, tells one such hero’s story. Hilary Swank plays Sharon, a spunky single mother and hairdresser struggling with alcoholism who rallies the people of Louisville, Ky., in the early 1990s to save a dying girl. The film opens as Ed Schmitt (professing Christian and Reacher star Alan Ritchson) is losing his wife to an illness. He’s left to raise his two young daughters, Ashley (Skywalker Hughes) and Michelle (Emily Mitchell), with help from his mother, Barbara…
COULD BE, WHO KNOWS… – Feb. 19, 2024 – New research has found that daily users of crystal methamphetamine who turned to cannabis to manage their cravings used the stimulant drug less, especially female users. The findings suggest a new harm-reduction strategy is needed for people who use illicit drugs. “Our findings are not conclusive but do add to the growing scientific evidence that cannabis might be a beneficial tool for some people who want to better control their unregulated stimulant use, particularly for people who use crystal meth,” said Hudson Reddon, lead and corresponding author of the study.…
NOTHING’S CONFIDENTIAL – Feb. 20, 2024 – It is obvious that Lala treats sobriety as an all-or-nothing kind of thing, which is pretty rigid and not necessarily helpful to those around her. I can understand if Lala was struggling with her own sobriety how others using around could be triggering. But she has been pretty solid in her journey so why try to bring others down for trying what works for them? This isn’t the first time that Lala has come across as holier than thou, but her comment about not recognizing Tom’s “sober curious” moment didn’t seem okay…
HARD CORE – Feb. 16, 2024 – Actor Johny Lever has a solid body of work to support the fact that he is one of the greatest comedians in the business. But growing up in Mumbai, not only presented him with hardships but also the grim reality of living in a slum. The 66-year-old actor revealed in an interview … The 66-year-old actor revealed in an interview with Beer Biceps that he had tried suicide before, but changed his mind when he thought about his three younger sisters because of his father’s alcoholism. Johny Lever On Father’s Alcoholism Johny…
VIDEO – LIFE WAS A CABERNET – Feb. 21, 2024 – When it comes to alcohol, that’s what Stefanie Wilder-Taylor, author of ‘Drunk-ish: A Memoir of Loving and Leaving Alcohol‘ believes changed her life trajectory. Speaking with Dina Bair via Zoom, Wilder-Taylor joined WGN Midday News to discuss her journey to sobriety. “Because (alcohol) is so acceptable right now, we trick our brains into thinking, ‘I’m not that bad,’ ‘I’m not that bad,’ ‘I’m not that bad.’ And it delays finding help.” WATCH@WGNTV
BETTER THAN GOD – Feb. 16, 2024 – Addictions can be considered forms of idolatry, a violation of the First Commandment, which declares, “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:3). Almost anything can become an idol. It does not have to be alcohol. Some people are addicted to sex or gambling. Money is another. One of the potentially most destructive idols is the addiction to power. We see this on the national level all the way down to the local. Lust for power often leads to corruption. Some people are evil enough to kill others to…
VIDEO – MORE EXPENSIVE? – Feb. 15, 2024 – Decades ago, when people thought of alcoholism, they probably imagined someone who just didn’t know when to stop drinking. Today what we’re seeing is a little bit of a different trend. You rarely find somebody who solely drinks alcohol. Typically, when somebody’s consuming alcohol there’s also the drugs that go hand and hand with it.” Stimulants in particular are often used by alcoholics as a means of trying to bring them back up after drinking. Though alcoholism is an issue present all over the country, Isaacks said it’s more of an…
Do-Re-Mi – Feb. 28, 2024 – Americans addicted to opioids who need the anti-addiction med buprenorphine are far more likely to find it if they live in a predominantly white neighborhood. When you move to areas with racial or ethnic diversity, there is a large decline in the availability of buprenorphine prescribers. “Access is substantially better in areas that are very white,” said study lead author Coleman Drake, an assistant professor of health policy and management at Pitt Public Health in Pittsburgh. “When you move to areas with even some racial or ethnic diversity, there is a large decline…
WILL IT NEVER STOP? – Feb. 21, 2024 – The United States is knee-deep in what some experts call the opioid epidemic’s “fourth wave,” which is not only placing drug users at greater risk but is also complicating efforts to address the nation’s drug problem. This involves using multiple substances at the same time, combining fentanyl mainly with either methamphetamine or cocaine. “And I’ve yet to see a peak” The report, which takes a deep dive into the nation’s drug trends and breaks usage patterns down by region, is based on 4.1 million urine samples collected from January 2013 to…
VIDEO – NOT FAIR – Feb. 21, 2024 – I’m angry at what happened to them. I’m angry at the people who sold them those drugs,” Casey told ABC10 at a community vigil for her sister. Keely Pereira was visiting her hometown from Mexico, where she was working as a boat captain. “When she was on the boat, it was like the boat was built around her,” said her father, Donnie Pereira. How the group of friends came into possession of the tainted drug is under investigation. The CDC says drug dealers often cut cocaine and other drugs with…
FAMILIES NEED LOVE – Feb. 21, 2024 – When someone overdoses and dies, surviving loved ones can feel as if they’ve been thrown into a crater of grief. Athey, a clinical psychologist and suicide prevention expert, said people who know others who died by suicide are at greater risk of suicide themselves. “We’re getting to the point in the overdose crisis where we need to think more creatively and more expansively,” Athey said. “There’s this huge gap that needs to be addressed from all sides.” READ@PBS
YOU’LL FIND OUT – March 2024 – In addition to minor side effects that many users joke about—such as short-term memory loss—recent studies have linked marijuana to adverse health outcomes involving the lungs, heart, brain and gonads. Though, unlike tobacco, it hasn’t been definitively tied to lung cancer). And cannabis plants hyperaccumulate metal pollutants, such as lead, which Sanchez found can enter users’ bloodstreams. Developing adolescent brains, particularly those predisposed to mental illness, may be most at risk from overconsumption. Although psychiatric effects are hotly debated, studies suggest that heavy weed use exacerbates—or may trigger—schizophrenia, psychosis and depression in youths…
ALCOHOL PINNED – Feb. 22, 2024 – Samantha decided to share her story as a source of inspiration to others who might be struggling with the same problem as she did years ago. Moreover, Samantha mentioned that such stories helped her overcome her alcoholism issue and probably, it was her way of giving it back to those in need. Samantha Irivin has proven herself to be one of the most enthralling and captivating WWE ring announcers of all time. However, behind that dynamic voice and passion for the sport, there was a personal struggle that she shared recently. READ@RingsideNews
VIDEO – WARNING – Feb. 23, 2024 – Celebrity chef Curtis Stone says McDonald’s Double Big Mac should have a health warning. WATCH@Fox
LADIES ONLY – Feb. 23, 2024 – Mayor Carolyn Goodman speaks at the WestCare groundbreaking event was held at 5659 Duncan Avenue in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Village at the WestCare Nevada Women and Children‚Äôs Campus will provide cottages for 87 women and children. A new facility is coming to North Las Vegas to assist women battling drug addiction and give them housing throughout the rehabilitation process. The Village is a 63,623-square-foot, 84-unit facility that will offer housing, case management, educational classes and other support for women in the Las Vegas Valley who may need assistance. The facility will be…
AUDIO – BUSINESS IS BUSINESS – Feb. 23, 2024 – Mentis, a Napa County mental health nonprofit, announced that the south Napa properties the Gasser Foundation “gifted” to Mentis in November have been officially sold and donated to longstanding tenant and fellow nonprofit Serenity Homes of Napa Valley. Back in November, 1982 Lernhart sold for $900,000 and 1983 Lernhart sold for $850,000. “We’re thrilled with the outcome of the Lernhart Street properties and appreciate the partnership of Mentis and the Gasser Foundation for ensuring we can continue to serve our residents working hard in recovery,” said Chris Indelicato, chair…
IT’S NEVER TOO LATE – Feb. 18, 2024 – Jill Cichowicz, who founded the group 2 End The Stigma, smiles on Saturday as she talks to guests during the seventh annual “A Night For Scott” at the John Marshall Ballrooms in Richmond. Cichowicz’s twin brother, Scott Zebrowski, died of an overdose after he ingested a pill laced with fentanyl. His death prompted her to start the group. “She was telling my story,” Bogese said. “My entire life, I believed there was something fundamentally and intrinsically wrong with me.” Bogese felt a connection with Cichowicz, which was key to her recovery.…
VIDEO – THE BEST KIND – Feb. 22, 2024 – Jessica Chastain and Peter Sarsgaard star in a new film Memory. Sylvia is a social worker who leads a simple and structured life: her daughter, her job, her AA meetings. This is blown open when Saul follows her home from their high school reunion. Their surprise encounter will profoundly impact both of them as they open the door to the past. The feature is centered on a social worker – played by actress Jessica, 46, – whose stable life is disrupted when she reconnects with an old high school…
ON OTHER’S LABOR – Unless he sells or buys more shares of company stock, and assuming the quarterly dividend remains at the same level, Zuckerberg will also gain off of the company’s dividend payouts to the tune of approximately $700 million per year. While dividends excite shareholders because they reward investors for just holding the stock, they’re also widely criticized for artificially inflating the stock price without spending on employees or improvements to the underlying business. This upswing plasters over potential harm to Meta stock after Zuckerberg, alongside other social media company heads, testified Wednesday before the Senate Judiciary…
IT NEVER IS – Feb. 23, 2024 – FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM CEO is arguing he can’t be held personally liable for accusations that his platforms have led to kids being addicted to social media. A ruling in the billionaire’s favor would excuse him from being held personally liable … The lawsuits claim that Zuckerberg’s actions and inaction led to social media addiction and accused him of ignoring warnings that Facebook and Instagram were unsafe for kids. In court records viewed by Business Insider, Zuckerberg’s lawyers said, “It is a fundamental principle that individuals cannot be held personally liable for the acts…
FAMILY DISFUNCTION – Feb. 15, 2024 – In the quiet of an ordinary day, a distressing revelation unfolded as two young children were rushed to the hospital, their systems coursing with opiates. This grave discovery led to the arrest of their mother, Katrina Annette Lynch, on charges of child abuse. The incident, emerging from a seemingly peaceful domestic life, casts a harrowing light on the shadow substance abuse casts over the innocents among us. Today, we delve into a story not of malice, but of negligence and the dire consequences it begets. The Lynch household became the center of…
VIDEO – FROM HELL TO HEALER – Dec. 20, 2024 – When meeting Jodi Borrelli, it’s hard to believe that several years ago, she was addicted to heroin, living on the streets and was wanted by the Sheriff’s Department. Her addiction to drugs started innocently after the mother of three injured her shoulder coaching her son in baseball. “All of a sudden, that one Vicodin doesn’t work, then you’re taking two. Then you go to the doctor. Well this just isn’t cutting it anymore,” said Borrelli. Borrelli became addicted after she said her doctor overprescribed pain medication. She went from…
GOD = DOG – Feb. 23, 2024 – The dog that saved Mike Favor’s life was a German shepherd puppy named Honey: 8 weeks old, heart condition, four months to live. This was in 2016, and Mr. Favor was trying to get sober, after 13 years of active cocaine addiction. When he heard about the puppy, at a rescue organization where he occasionally volunteered, he knew he couldn’t take her. “I’m too new into sobriety,” he told his fiancée at the time, who also volunteered at the rescue center. Another tragedy in his life, he said, might drive him back…